Using Digital Interactive Stories to Improve Vocabulary Skills and Creative Writing of Iraqi EFL Learners
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Abstract
This study explores how Digital Interactive Stories (DIS) can improve vocabulary skills and creative writing among EFL learners in Iraq. Conventional English teaching methods in Iraq concentrate on memorization and grammar, which often reduce the motivation of students and limit productive skills. DIS, which integrate multimedia and interactive elements, may offer a more engaging and effective alternative. The present study aims to find out the effect of using digital interactive stories on EFL university students’ vocabulary skills; find out the effect of digital interactive stories on EFL university students creative writing components, specifically: a. Fluency (quantity of ideas and words). b. Flexibility (variety of ideas and vocabulary). c. Originality (novelty and uniqueness of ideas). d. Elaboration (detail and description) and find out the correlation between vocabulary skills and creative writing. To achieve these aims, two achievement tests are constructed—a vocabulary skills test and a creative writing test—administered to 60 third-stage students at the College of Education for Humanities, University of Tikrit, during the academic year 2024–2025. To ensure face validity, the tests are reviewed by a panel of specialists in linguistics and EFL teaching methodology, who confirmed their validity and suitability. A pilot study involving 20 randomly selected students reveal that the average time required to complete the test items was 50 minutes. The pilot also shows that most items were clear and easily understood by students. Regarding reliability, the test items are divided into two halves (odd and even). Using the Pearson correlation formula, the reliability coefficient is found to be 0.79. After applying the Spearman-Brown formula, the reliability increases to 0.89, indicating that the test is highly reliable and acceptable. Results indicate that digital interactive stories are significantly more effective than traditional teaching methods in improving both vocabulary and creative writing skills. In terms of vocabulary, the rich multimodal context—combining visuals, sound, and interactivity—led to deeper understanding and better long-term retention of new words. For creative writing, students demonstrate higher levels of creativity across all dimensions (fluency, flexibility, originality, and elaboration). The interactive nature of DIS stimulated students’ imagination and helped them construct more coherent and dynamic narratives, resulting in more consistent and expressive storytelling
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